In the News

Professor Shubha Ghosh Discusses the Live Nation-TIcketmaster Antitrust Settlement

Crandall Melvin Professor of Law Shubha Ghosh spoke with The Verge on the recent Live Nation-Ticketmaster antitrust settlement with the Department of Justice.

In reaction to the settlement, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) plans to introduce a new bill to strengthen courts’ review of antitrust settlements, including by empowering states to have a greater role and making sure courts can’t approve agreements that fail to resolve antitrust issues. 

Reviews under the Tunney Act (Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act of 1974) are already meant to ensure that antitrust settlements are in the public interest, though Ghosh says it’s rare for a judge to throw out a deal altogether. Under the Tunney Act review, the court will evaluate whether the parties are likely to return over the same issues, and if the proposal creates new problems, he said.

Dean Terence Lau L’98 Speaks with the New York Times on Tariff Refunds

Dean Terence Lau L’98 spoke with the New York Times for an article on the complexities of refunding tariffs after the recent Supreme Court decision.

The administration initially tried to delay the legal proceedings around refunds. In a late-night court filing at the end of last month, the government proposed to halt the fight for about four months, but a panel of judges quickly rejected that request.

Lau said the actions reflected an effort by President Trump to introduce “administrative friction” around the $166 billion in tariff collections.

While Lau acknowledged that the refund process was so complex that it necessarily would take some time, he said the government’s court filings also showed “they are trying to narrow who gets refunds, and they’re stretching the timeline.”

Lau began his career in the Office of the General Counsel at Ford Motor Company in the International Trade and Transactions practice group. His practice focused on U.S. law for foreign affiliates and subsidiaries, among other topics. Later he served as Ford’s director for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Government Affairs.

“Entirely Unpredictable,” Says Professor of Law Emeritus William C. Banks on the War in Iran

Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus William C. Banks spoke with Salon on the Iran war.

Banks said that Trump’s handling of the conflict has been “entirely unpredictable” and said he advised against “putting faith” in the timelines previously suggested by the Trump administration, referring to Hegseth as “inexperienced.”

“Nobody knew anything. Nobody experienced the conflict yet,” Banks said. “So, I don’t think there is a timeline.”

Professor William Banks Speaks with The Guardian on Immigration Arrests on U.S. Military Base

Professor of Law Emeritus William Banks discussed possible Posse Comitatus Act violations during traffic stops on a U.S. Military Base in California with The Guardian. His comments are in the story, “‘We got hooked’: arrests on US army base spark fear of military coordination with ICE.”

The traffic stops and on-base detentions at Fort Hunter Liggett appear to violate the spirit of the Act and represent a “creep in the wrong direction toward military participation in law enforcement”, said Banks.

Banks also said the traffic stops at Fort Hunter Liggett set a dangerous precedent of harnessing military resources for domestic political goals.

Professor Katherine Macfarlane Comments on Department of Homeland Security’s Civil Rights Staffing

Professor Katherine Macfarlane, director of the Disability Law and Policy Program, spoke with Mother Jones for the article, DHS Axed Its Civil Rights Staff—And Opened the Door to a Major Lawsuit.

In the article, Macfarlane raised concerns that Troup Hemenway, the DHS’ Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties acting head, “doesn’t appear to have typically relevant civil rights expertise.”

Professor Katherine Macfarlane Comments on Department of Homeland Security’s Civil Rights Staffing

Professor Katherine Macfarlane, director of the Disability Law and Policy Program, spoke with Mother Jones for the article, DHS Axed Its Civil Rights Staff—And Opened the Door to a Major Lawsuit.

In the article, Macfarlane raised concerns that Troup Hemenway, the DHS’ Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties acting head, “doesn’t appear to have typically relevant civil rights expertise.”

Professor Jenny Breen Provides 10th Amendment Fact-checking to Politifact

Professor Jenny Breen discusses the 10th Amendment and sanctuary city laws in the Politifact article, “Trump leaders say Minnesota officials withhold detained immigrants from ICE. Is that true?”

Breen said sanctuary city laws, including in Minneapolis, recognize the right of states and cities to refuse to do the work of the federal government. “States may not refuse to permit the federal government itself from doing that work, but they are not obligated to enforce federal laws themselves,” said Breen.

Professor Keith Bybee Discusses the Current State of Civility in America with WUSF/NPR

Professor Keith Bybee, the Paul E. and Hon. Joanne F. Alper ’72 Judiciary Studies Professor, spoke with WUSF/NPR on the state of civility one year into the Trump presidency.

Bybee, author of How Civility Works, discussed the history of civility in society, the ways norms of civility were broken throughout American history, and the impact of the current climate on civility across the political spectrum.

“There is some sense that if they go low and you don’t go high, then you become reduced to the level of the person you are disagreeing with,” said Bybee. “I would suggest something different, which is to focus on the real stakes of what are the boundaries of polite society, who gets the benefit of decent treatment and behavior in our society, who is owed basic respect. If we focus on that as the goal, perhaps it will make it less imperative that we engage in tit-for-tat or f-bomb-for-f-bomb.”

Associate Dean of Students and Professor Kelly Curtis Honored with Prestigious Award for Excellence in Legal Education

Associate Dean of Students and Teaching Professor Kelly Curtis recently received a significant honor highlighting her exceptional contributions to legal education: the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) Section on Academic Support Impact Award.

Curtis received the AALS Impact Award at the association’s recent Annual Meeting, where she also presented her current work in progress, “The Invisible Crisis: How Generative AI Transforms Risk Detection in Legal Education” at the “Fostering Impact and Resilience: Institutional Academic Support for Law Students and ASP Faculty” session, which demonstrates her leadership in shaping best practices across legal education.

The AALS Impact Award recognizes legal educators who are “inspiring students and peers in the academic support profession today and catapulting us forward to a stronger tomorrow.” Recipients must demonstrate significant impact through student support and mentoring, promoting diversity and expanding access to the legal profession, or developing innovative ideas and practices.

Under Curtis’s leadership, Syracuse Law has built comprehensive support systems that guide students from admissions through the bar exam. She has developed and now leads two critical offices: the Office of Student Experience (OSE), which fosters an engaging and inclusive environment for the entire law school community and oversees more than 30 student organizations; and the Office of Academic and Bar Support (OABS), which provides strategic academic guidance and programming tailored to each student’s success.

“Professor Curtis is dedicated to the growth and success of our students. Her professional, personal approach to guiding our students through their legal education sets them for success in their careers and as members of the communities they serve,” says Dean Terence Lau L’98.

In addition to her administrative leadership, Curtis maintains an active teaching portfolio, instructing courses in Professional Responsibility, Feminist Jurisprudence, and Law and Sexuality—work that earned her the Meredith Teaching Recognition Award for her sustained commitment to excellence in the classroom.

“I am honored to receive these awards. Everyone at Syracuse Law places our students’ success at the forefront of everything we do, and I’m grateful to be part of a community so deeply committed to providing an exceptional student experience,” says Curtis.